


One Last Dance

by starvonnie



Series: Flare, Flicker, Fade [1]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, I Love You, M/M, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-12 01:59:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7916071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starvonnie/pseuds/starvonnie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rodimus actually manages to play something that doesn't make Megatron want to remove his audials, he asks him to dance.  They're making their relationship work, but it's hard to pretend that everything's alright when there's only so much time left.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Last Dance

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize profusely for this my brain is an asshole

"Turn that down!"  Megatron covered his audials from the assault, or "music," as Rodimus called it.  There had been several noise complaints from the crew, and Megatron could see why.  He hadn't even gotten to the hallway with Rodimus' hab suite before the noise had become unbearable.  How Rodimus hadn't blown his audio receptors from being this close, Megatron couldn't know.  Or perhaps he had.  That would explain his terrible taste.

"What?" Rodimus yelled, not pausing his "dancing."  How was he able to put up with someone so unrefined?

With a scowl that Ultra Magnus would have been proud of, Megatron stormed across the room and slapped the button on the stereo.  He sighed with relief, but his audials still rung.

"Hey!  I was listening to that."  Rodimus went to turn it back on, but Megatron caught his hand.

"You and half the ship."  Megatron crossed his arms.  "You know, you _can_ enjoy music without making your audials bleed."

"Aw, you're just too old, Megs.  You can't handle it.  But I'll turn it down.  To save your old audials."  Rodimus smirked up at him and Megatron had to ask himself again why he put up with him.  Especially when Rodimus' idea of turning it down was making it so only a quarter of the ship could hear it.

Turning the dial down to a reasonable level, Megatron said, "If you turn it back up I will confiscate this."

"Why're you so mean?" Rodimus whined.  Then, when Megatron turned to leave, he added, "Can I at least get a kiss before you go?"

"I have to get back to work," Megatron said, rubbing his forehelm as a helmache blossomed.

"Pleeeeeaaaaase?  I need loud music or Megatron kisses to _survive_.  You've already taken so much!"  Rodimus slumped over onto the berth dramatically.  Sighing and throwing his arm across his helm.  "I'm _withering_ , I tell you.  _Withering_.  What kind of captain can I be when I'm _withered_?"

Growling out a sigh, Megatron crossed back across the room.  He only had to lean down a little to kiss him because Rodimus had quickly recovered.  He made it quick and went to leave again, when the song changed, and for once it actually sounded... nice.

"Aw, geez, I thought I had this on a playlist."  Scurrying over to the stereo, Rodimus fumbled to change the song. 

Megatron took hold of his wrist before he could.  Earth's string instruments had always sounded beautiful to him.  There wasn't a lot of music Megatron had ever grown fond of, but orchestral music was one of the few.  And after the beating his audials had gotten, this music soothed them.

"Maybe, instead..."  One of Megatron's hands found Rodimus' and interlocked their fingers.  The other took to his waist, pulling him in close.  "May I have this dance?"

Blush hinted at Rodimus' cheeks, a smile playing at his lips.  It evolved into a smirk when he said, "I thought you said you have to get back to work."

A tiny shrug.  "I can be a little late.  There's always time for one dance."

"Admit it.  You're just reverting back to your evil ways.  Tardiness is only the beginning!"  But Rodimus began to sway, which was about as far as his dancing skills took him.  They didn't do this often, but it was always Megatron who lead.

"I'm offended, Rodimus, that you would think so little of me."  Megatron held his frown, just enough to make Rodimus think he had actually hurt his feelings.  Then he cracked a smile.  "Tardiness is step two.  Step one was stealing the spark of a Prime."

Giggling, Rodimus rested his forehelm against Megatron's chest.  "You dork."

Megatron rested his helm on Rodimus', swaying with him to the music.

"Maybe I should play this junk more often," Rodimus said.  "As long as you're around."

"It's certainly better than what you had on before," Megatron said, turning them slowly.  He gazed into Rodimus' optics when he looked up, and was just about to lean down to kiss him when he started to speak.

"I'm... really glad you're here, Megs," Rodimus admitted.  "I'm glad they didn't... you know...  I'm glad that you're here."

Rodimus' movements slowed until he was off-rhythm, a vicious shake taking over his frame.  It wasn't long until he stopped completely, clutching at Megatron's back.  He hid his face in Megatron's chest, spoiler canting down lower than he had ever seen.

"Try not to think about it," Megatron murmured, holding him tightly.  He did his best to curl his frame around Rodimus'.  Trying to shield him from the world.  Maybe his bulk could fend off these thoughts.  But the truth of the matter was that he wouldn't always be here.  He wouldn't always be able to comfort Rodimus over... well, him.  He had been selfish to indulge himself in the Prime, but that didn't matter now.  A broken spark would come to his beloved sooner or later, and it would be cruel whether or not he distanced himself.  So selfish he would be.  For his final months of life would be nothing but happiness with Rodimus. 

"I can't _not_ think about it!"

When Rodimus' knees started to give way, Megatron walked them over to the berth.  He sat Rodimus down and climbed in beside him, settling his back against the wall.  Rodimus climbed into his lap and curled up into a ball that Megatron wrapped himself around.

"I'm sorry, my Sun," Megatron whispered.  An apology wouldn't help, but it's all he had to give.

"Don't be sorry!  Just stay!"  Rodimus banged a fist against Megatron's chest.  It didn't hurt him.  Not physically anyways.  "Just stay with me."

"I'm here."

"Promise you'll stay."  Flaring blue optics found Megatron's face.  "Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll stay with me."

It was as if Megatron's spark casing were getting smaller.  Squeezing at the flicker.  Barely holding on to this frame physically, now struggling not to snuff under Rodimus' anguish.  If he had kept away from him, if he had ignored his feelings and not acted selfishly, Rodimus wouldn't be like this.  The grief on his face was of his own doing.  He was eclipsing his Sun. 

"You know I can't promise that, Rodimus."  It crushed Megatron to watch the shadow overtake his face for the thousandth time.  This wasn't fair.  But like the sun, Rodimus glow returned.  A bright blue, dazzling light washed over his face and brought wonder to Megatron's.  He didn't have to look down to know what Rodimus was trying to do.  And he didn't have to think before he was answering him.  "No, Rodimus."

"Please?  If we bond I'll always have a part of you."  Rodimus' pleading face made the vise squeeze him just a little tighter. 

It was killing Megatron to keep refusing him.  Especially now, with his spark bared.  He'd asked a multitude of times before, but never like this.  Never while revealing himself to him.  The pulsing blue orb begged for his touch.  To be reunited with its green mate.  But the only thing crueller than courting Rodimus, would be to claim his spark for his own.

"I need you, Megatron."  Rodimus' voice caught.

"I can't."  Megatron tucked Rodimus' helm into the crook of his neck.  Again, selfishly.  He couldn't bear to look at his face while it fell after another rejection.  There was nothing he wanted more than to merge with him.  In another life, perhaps.  In another time.  A life where they _had_ time.  Not a life where a clock, invisible to them, counted down.  Who knew how much longer they had.  Months?  Years?  Surely not even a decade remained.  So little time.

"Do you not... want me?" Rodimus asked quietly, burrowing closer to Megatron.  He had, thankfully, closed his chest.  It was easier to look at him without the temptation.

Tilting Rodimus' chin up, Megatron kissed him.  Tenderness to wipe away the sadness.  But a kiss could only do so much.

"Don't confuse my resistance for lack of want.  If it would not bring you grief in the future, I would have you now.  But I can't subject you to that kind of torture.  I've already been too cruel to you."  Megatron cupped his face when Rodimus couldn't find the strength to hold up his own helm.  "I love you, Rodimus.  And it's because I love you that I can't give you this."

"I don't care about all that."  Optics flickering and all but shutting, Rodimus whispered, "It's going to hurt when they take you no matter what."

"You have my spark, Rodimus," Megatron murmured.  "You have my soul, my frame, my very being.  Every strut down to every diode is yours.  A spark merge won't change that.  All it will do is bring you more pain."

"I don't care!  I don't care, Megatron.  I don't care if my spark literally explodes because of it.  There has never been anyone that I have loved this much.  There has never been anyone that I would even _consider_ merging with.  But you?"  Loving hands slid up wide grey chest plates and anchored on broad shoulders.  "Not bonding with you, that will be the real tragedy."

"Rodimus..."

"It doesn't have to be tonight," Rodimus added.  "If you're not ready, I'll wait.  But I don't think that's the problem."

A sigh had Megatron deflating beneath Rodimus.  He was in way too deep.  He never should have said yes.  He shouldn't have even been thinking about him.  It was far too late to nip his feelings at the bud, and now he was even considering harming Rodimus this way.

"I love you, Rodimus."

"Then bond with me.  At least tell me that you will.  One day.  Please, Megatron."

Hands met their mates in the sheets, their fingers hugging like lovers reuniting.  How many more chances would they have to be together like this?  No, he couldn't think that way.  He had promised Rodimus to do his best to live in the moment.  Because, as he had told Megatron back then, "this moment is all we have."  But no matter what promises he made, this could not be rushed.

Defeat settling into his frame with another sigh, Megatron said, "Another time, Rodimus.  I will bond with you."

With a smile that would rival a galaxy in sheer brightness, Rodimus threw his arms around Megatron with a squeal.  "I love you."

Megatron hugged him back, cherishing this moment and cementing it in his processor.  When the time finally came, he wanted enough memories of him to coax him through his death.  He wanted a happy, smiling Rodimus to be the last thing on his mind.  If only to distract him from the radically different Rodimus he would be leaving behind.

"I love you, too, Rodimus."

A few less minutes on the clock.


End file.
